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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28907952">Empty Chairs at Empty Tables</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Labyrinth_Runner/pseuds/Labyrinth_Runner'>Labyrinth_Runner</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars Original Trilogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Empty Chairs at Empty Tables, Gen, Grief/Mourning, this is me being mad that she never grieved the destruction of alderaan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 11:08:24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,068</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28907952</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Labyrinth_Runner/pseuds/Labyrinth_Runner</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After the destruction of Alderaan, Princess Leia takes a moment to think about all she’d lost.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Bail Organa &amp; Leia Organa</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Empty Chairs at Empty Tables</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She stood defiant in the face of the galaxy’s boogeyman, Vader, and a shrewd man she was all too familiar with, Grand Moff Tarkin. Leia had a stiff upper lip as they taunted her, turning her towards a viewport that showed her planet. </p><p>“Princess Leia, before your execution I would like you to be my guest at a                         ceremony that will make this battle station operational. No star system will dare oppose the Emperor now,” Tarkin said with his smug face.</p><p>“ The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin, the more star systems will slip through your fingers,” she spat back, a prickle of fear settled into her spine. </p><p>Tarkin raised a brow at her, “Not after we demonstrate the power of this station. In a way, you have determined the choice of the planet that'll be destroyed first. Since you are reluctant to provide us with the location of the Rebel base, I                         have chosen to test this station's destructive power on your home                         planet of Alderaan.”</p><p>Leia felt panic settle into her chest as the faces of her people and the memories of her childhood flashed in front of her eyes, “ No! Alderaan is peaceful. We have no weapons. You <em>can't</em> possibly-”</p><p>“You would prefer another target? A military target? <em>Then name the system</em>!” Tarkin moved towards her, towering over her small frame, “I grow tired of asking this. So it'll be the last time. Where is the Rebel base?”</p><p>Leia swallowed, feeling guilty. It was either a Rebellion full of people who knew the risks when they signed up, or a planet, <em>her</em> planet, full of innocent lives. “Dantooine,” she murmured before averting her gaze.</p><p>“There. You see Lord Vader, she can  be reasonable,” Tarkin said before turning to his underlings. “Continue with the operation. You may fire when ready. “</p><p>Leia’s head snapped up, “What?”</p><p>Tarkin gave her a smarmy smile, “You're far too trusting. Dantooine                         is too remote to make an effective demonstration. But don't worry. We will deal with your Rebel friends soon enough.”</p><p>Leia watched in horror as a laser beam erupted from the battle station, shooting towards her planet. All she could do was observe as everything she loved was destroyed. Burying her emotions, she let them lead her back to her cell. She would not cry in front of these monsters. Not now, not <em>ever</em>. She would grieve her loss on her own terms when she had the time for it.</p><p>Unfortunately, that time was not now. She had a Death Star to destroy and a rebel alliance to save.</p><p></p><div class="media-holder media-holder-draggable media-holder-hr">
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</div><p>The time for grief came later as Leia found herself aboard the Tantive III heading towards an agreed upon location. She waited until they were in hyperspace before making her way down the hall. </p><p>Leia came to a stop in front of a door she was all too familiar with. Swallowing a lump in her throat, she opened the door and entered the office like she had countless times before.</p><p>Her footsteps were quiet as she approached the desk. Reverently, she picked up the cape that was draped over the back of it. Her hands smoothed over the fabric before bunching into a fist. </p><p>She felt her knees give out as she sat in the chair, taking the cloak up to her nose. </p><p>“It still smells like you,” she murmured, “Sandalwood like the cologne I gave you for your birthday.” Leia held the fabric to her chest. “I’m so sorry. I gave up the base to save you and it didn’t even-” she broke off as she started to sob- “it didn’t even matter.”</p><p>She had been her father’s pride and joy. That was something she had always known. Her mother had been her role model, but her father was her hero. He’d always tried to protect her, and she couldn’t even protect him when it mattered most.</p><p>
  <em>We knew what we were signing up for.</em>
</p><p>She could almost hear him saying it when they had been separated before she’d gone to Scarriff. </p><p>Her hand pressed a button on his desk and a holo of Alderaan projected before her. It was littered with red dots signifying rebel businesses, suppliers, and the location of a secret garrison.</p><p>“We all knew what we were signing up for,” she sniffed, looking down at the fabric in her hands, “Even you.” </p><p>She looked out over the office space her father kept on his personal ship. In the safe behind the photo of her and her mother he kept the lists of sympathetic planets who hoped for better tomorrow. In the corner was her chair for when she’d joined him to work on plans for their expansion. It was only mere days ago that she’d seen him and they’d discussed all that the rebels could be. He had seen the need for a rebel alliance. He had hope for the future. </p><p>The Rebellion had been born in this room, birthed from that hope. How many times had he reprimanded her for being too reckless in here? How many times had she rolled her eyes and told him she was capable of taking care of herself?<em> Not enough</em>, she thought bitterly,<em> it will never have been enough time.</em> She was a princess without a planet, she realized as she looked at the holo in front of her. Her gaze turned back towards the portrait on the wall. Most of all, she was an orphan without a family.</p><p>“No, that’s not true,” she said with the barest hint of an upturned lip. Her mind turned to her new friends: Luke, Han, and Chewbacca. Her father would probably have something to say about Han, but Luke... Her father would have liked Luke. After all, her father was a friend to the Jedi long before she was born.</p><p>A gentle knock sounded on the door, “Princess, we’re coming out of hyperspace and will be landing soon.”</p><p>Leia quickly wiped her tears away with her sleeve. </p><p>“Thank you,” she called out. Was she still even worthy of being called a Princess? </p><p>Absentmindedly, she draped her father’s cape around her shoulders and got up to leave. </p><p>As she reached the door, something told her to turn back. There, sitting at his desk, was Senator Bail Organa. He was looking down at a data pad in his hands, but when he caught sight of her, he smiled.</p><p>Leia blinked and he was gone.</p>
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